mmaley Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Today, I began a run to collect fossils. I have been interested in fossils since I was a kid and my grandfather took me fossil hunting in Western Pennsylvania. As I grew up, I got distracted with other things;... going to school, pursuing a career, finding my true love, starting a family, and working. I am a pediatrician in N.E. Georgia, and I have a great practice. For over the past 10 years, I have had comfortable call situation, once every fifth night. Next month, my call will increase to every third night. Ugh. So, before I have to wratch it up a bit, I am treating myself to a binge of fossil collecting. I have to admit, that the fine folks who contribute to The Fossil Forum have inspired me. You have a great community. You share great information. And I am amazed with what you find, prepare, and how it can be displayed. My favorite forum is Fossil Hunting Trips. So... This morning, I kissed my wife and set off to start this venture. From Toccoa, I made a brief visit with sick friend in Atlanta (hang in here Jim), and then headed to N.W. Alabama. I stopped outside of Jasper, in Walker County. This is Pennsylvania Era coal country, where the Steven C. Minkin Paleozoic Footprint Site was created from the Union Chapel Mine. This is a wonderful story of efforts from both professional and amateur paleontologists, and the state of Alabama, to preserve unique site that is produces amphibian, reptile, arthropod, and fish trails. It is open to the public once a month. I could not swing being there for a collecting day. I did learn of a road cut close by that had some possible things to find. So that is where I went. The road cut is at the intersection of Hwy 78 and Alabama Rd 22. It was a pretty good day for collecting. A little hot and humid though, and I just missed being rained on by a thunderstorm. Here is two images of what I saw there when I arrived. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmaley Posted June 21, 2014 Author Share Posted June 21, 2014 I spent about two hours sifting through the shale that had slid down to the bottom of the road cut. There were several tall tiers to the road cut that had more to look through. To get to them would require some serious climbing or weed whacking. I did find some small plant remnants 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmaley Posted June 21, 2014 Author Share Posted June 21, 2014 I did find what I think are tracks of some form on arthropod. These are recurrent symmetrical tracks that appear to be from an eight legged creature. There were multiples of them in different shales. I found different sizes of them as well. I have read that there have been found horseshoe crab prints at the Union Chapel Mine site. Perhaps these could be from them too, just not continuous. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Dente Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 I did find what I think are tracks of some form on arthropod. These are recurrent symmetrical tracks that appear to be from an eight legged creature. There were multiples of them in different shales. I found different sizes of them as well. I have read that there have been found horseshoe crab prints at the Union Chapel Mine site. Perhaps these could be from them too, just not continuous. I think these are Arborichnus repetita. If you do a google search it should lead you to a publication you can download called "Pennsylvanian footprints in the Black Warrior Basin of Alabama" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 I do so love Carboniferous ichnofossils! Thank you for the terrific report; it starts my day on a good note "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustPlainPetrified Posted June 21, 2014 Share Posted June 21, 2014 Great read. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmaley Posted June 22, 2014 Author Share Posted June 22, 2014 Thanks for the feed back. The ichnofossil identification given by Al Dente is spot on. Thanks for the help. On further investigation, Arborichnus repetita is a xiphosuran, a form of horseshoe crab. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamalama Posted June 22, 2014 Share Posted June 22, 2014 Woot! Those tracks are indeed a nice find. -Dave __________________________________________________ Geologists on the whole are inconsistent drivers. When a roadcut presents itself, they tend to lurch and weave. To them, the roadcut is a portal, a fragment of a regional story, a proscenium arch that leads their imaginations into the earth and through the surrounding terrain. - John McPheeIf I'm going to drive safely, I can't do geology. - John McPheeCheck out my Blog for more fossils I've found: http://viewsofthemahantango.blogspot.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwigia Posted June 22, 2014 Share Posted June 22, 2014 Thanks for the friendly introduction and the great report. Ichnofossils are always something special! Greetings from the Lake of Constance. Roger http://www.steinkern.de/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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